The food of the Gods. That’s what the Aztecs called chocolate. Scientifically, theobroma cacao, chocolate is one our favorite ingredients to blend with yerba mate. The actual chocolate nut is known as cacao. Watch out: don’t mistake is for the processed chocolate powder known as cocoa (that’s the sugary chocolate mix used to bake cakes, cookies, and hot chocolate).

Here are few tips when making your own chocolate yerba mate tea

Chocolate increases the robustness of your mate blend, so carefully gauge how strong you’d like your mate when blending. Using the raw cacao bean or powder will have a lighter taste profile; the roasted counterparts will be sweeter and stronger, increasing the richness and body. Experiment with both to see what you like.

Effects of chocolate

Chocolate has a calming effect that produces mild feelings of euphoria. Thank the generous amounts of theobromine, the excitatory compound in chocolate responsible for that eponymous “feel good” sensation. There hasn’t been any studies on this (as far as we know), but the combination of theobromine in chocolate along with mate’s natural ability to also produce euphoria, may have a compounding affect and boost those effects further.

I’ve been safely traveling with yerba mate for almost a decade and I’ve never had any serious problems carrying yerba mate either directly on the plane in my carry-on luggage or my stowed-away (checked-in) luggage beneath the plane. So, rest assured, since yerba mate is a legal herb, you can safely travel without problems getting through airport security and customs.

Below, I’ll describe some exceptions and offer some tips on how to make sure you always clear your precious yerba mate through customs and airport security while traveling.

How to Travel with Yerba Mate

Did you know that I started selling yerba mate gourds on Circle of Drink with 60 gourds I brought back to New York in my suitcase in 2012? I neatly lined the gourds in a few rows, sandwiched between shirts and sweaters for padding. While going through New York Customs, this was the only time I’ve ever been questioned about traveling with gourds and yerba mate.

The Agents simply wanted to know what the gourds were and why I had so many of them. “They’re yerba mate cups to drink tea from and I plan to share them with family and friends.” “Ok, you can go now,” she quickly responded. And there I went, happily proceeding to my pickup gate with 60 gourds in tow and at least 15 pounds of mate (in original 500g packs).

Follow the Rules When Traveling with Yerba Mate

Then there was a small exception when cutting through Italian or Mexican Customs — an Agent, seeing my loose-leaf yerba packaged in a ziplock bag asked what it was. As usual, I simply responded with the truth: “It’s tea from Argentina… like green tea.” And right on cue, I was told to carry on.

You see, it’s perfectly legal and easy to travel with yerba mate. Remain cognizant of the local laws and prohibitions of the country you’re traveling to and from; make any required declarations (though, I’ve never declared mate as I never seen a reason to); and tell the truth when asked “what’s that green stuff?” The easiest answer is: “it’s green tea from Argentina.” That’s my good luck answer that never fails. A smile or two doesn’t hurt, either.

Declaring Yerba Mate for Customs and Import / Export

If you’re asked to formally declare yerba mate, you may classify it as either “Botanical Herb” , “Paraguayan Tea” or “Mate Tea.” These terms are recognized by the FDA — the federal agency responsible for all food safety within, existing and entering the United States and many other countries.

Getting more technical: every food that’s allowed to enter the United States has an associated “harmonization code.” This code corresponds to a federal database of recognized foods that are imported and exported. The yerba mate harmonization code is: 0903.00.00 and it’s classified as “duty fee,” meaning that you are not legally responsible for paying any import or export taxes for yerba mate. How lucky we are, right!? Though, if you’re receiving a package of yerba mate from another country, the person or company sending the goods may have to pay a fee, such as an IVA or VAT tax or other associated export fees.

Packaging your Yerba Mate for Safe Travel

Leaving your mate in the original packaging is the safest way to travel. The packaging acts as a self-explanatory sign that clearly states what the product is, where it’s from, and what it’s used for. Yerba Mate Tea. From South America. A drink like green tea. Period. Customs Agents love to see clear and easy-to-understand language that explains a product. It saves them the trouble from investigating further or sampling your product for laboratory testing.

Perhaps you’ve repacked the mate in a bag. That’s fine, too. However, without your permission, if the yerba mate was packed in your checked-in luggage, the Agents may take a small sample from your bag (you’ll notice a clean slick or small hole in the package). This has happened to me many times. If it happens to you, don’t be alarmed. It’s quite fine. Remember, yerba mate is a legal botanical herb (not a controlled substance), so there is nothing to worry about. You haven’t broken any laws whatsoever. Sip easy, Matero!

Traveling with Large Amounts of Yerba Mate?

I’ve packed nearly entire suitcases of mate at times and had no issues. If you do something like this, it comes down to your attitude and how you comport yourself when and if questioned about the yerba mate. Be confident and clearly state that this is tea you consume. Showing any fear or expressing anxiety will almost certainly warrant further investigation.

In most cases, you’re not like me, and won’t travel with more than, say, 5–10kgs (10–20 pounds) of mate, so this won’t apply. But here’s an real example of how I recently travelled with a significant amount of mate.

I wrapped several boxes of mate in what is known as ‘pallet’ or ‘packaging’ wrap. It’s, effectively, strong saran wrap for travel; then I constructed a makeshift handle and checked the entire bag in as a single piece of luggage. I had no issue and successfully traveled with around 20 pounds of yerba mate this way.

A “safer” way would have been to split the mate into a few bags of luggages, interspersed with clothing. But, again, have no fear. We have nothing to hide. The worst that can happen when traveling with a significant amount of mate is that you’re asked to pay a commercial duty fee, if the Agent believes that you intend to sell the product. But yerba mate is a duty free herb, so have harmonization code handy: 0903.00.00.

No Worries, Yerba Mate is Legal and NOT a Drug

So there you have it. It’s perfectly safe and legal to travel with yerba mate. You may also travel with yerba mate gourds and bombillas without issues. For the bombillas (metal straws used to drink mate from the gourd), the most practical idea is to pack them in your checked-in luggage, as some of them may resemble knives.

On scorching hot days do you realllyyy want to drink yerba mate? If you asked me that eight or nine years ago, I would’ve said, heck yeahhh! Admittedly, my early mate days were defined by rigid adherence to the traditional Argentine method of preparing mate, which is summed up in a single word: hot!

Summertime Means Cold Yerba Mates

You know, grab the kettle, heat the water to a precise 165–175ºF (never fully boiled, thank you!), then adding the room temperature “dummy water” to temper those gentle herbs, then full on hot mates ready to go. Yes, this is the traditional way. Three season of the year, I’m all about it. But these cold mates have grabbed my heat this sizzling summer, and I’m loving every icy-cold sip of deliciousness.

Today, in the video below, you’ll find a comprehensive guide on cold brewing yerba mate tea. I’ve incorporated all previously discussed methods, but thickened the ice with more ideas on which herbs are best for cold yerba mate and shared more refined, step-by-step, instructions.

Warning: this is a long video, so feel free to jump around. I’ve provided timestamp links that’ll get you to the juicy parts of the video.

Simple way to make cold yerba mate with a gourd and chilled water [5:53]

A here’s a list of a few yerba mate blends perfect for making cold yerba mate

Wondering if Yerba Mate Expires? Let’s find out

Yerba mate technically can expire if it’s not stored in a cool and dry place. When mate is stored in a dry area, it can become brittle and flaky, and subtle flavors are destroyed. If it’s stored in an overly-humid place, it’s at risk of mold. However, when properly stored in a dark, dry, and cool locations, such as a kraft paper big, tea tin, or glass jar, yerba mate can actually improve with age, up to several years; such aged yerba mate has a slight yellow hue and still retains a matte sheen on the leaves, without being overly-dry. Aged yerba mate develops subtle, nuanced flavors. A good example would be Anna Park.

How to Properly Store Yerba Mate Tea

Allow me to extrapolate. If you store your yerba mate in a cool, dark, and dry location — preferably in a glass jar or tin — your mate will last way beyond the two year expiration date on the package (those expiration dates on the label have more to do with politics than health when it comes to yerba mate).

In fact, mate will most likely improve with age, with enhanced nuanced flavors and finer aromas. Effectively, as with wine, aging can add complexity to yerba mate.

Understanding the Expiration Date of Yerba Mate

Remember, if you’re drinking a mate brand directly from South America, the expiration stamp is usually on the side of the bag, sometimes on the top.

How to Determine if Your Yerba Mate Really has Gone Stale?

Three factors are essential for determining the quality of yerba mate.

LOOK. How does the mate look? It should be an olive green with a thin matte sheen.

FEEL. How does the mate feel? It should have some buoyancy and pliancy. The leaves shouldn’t be overly dry and crumble to the touch. You should detect a slight moisture in the leaves and the stems should be an eggshell white to light tan.

SMELL. How does the mate smell? You should detect the general mate bouquet of toasty hay, green vegetables, earth, and a mild sweetness.

That’s about it. More than anything, use common sense to detect the mate’s quality. If it tastes, looks, and smells good, then chances are it’s good. Sip on, Materos!

Generally, the best water temperature for yerba mate tea is between 155ºF – 175ºF (68ºC – 70ºC). The lighter the body, the lower the temperature should be, to avoid masking flavors with heat. Also, scientists are confirming that water that has been brought to a boil is immediately used is dangerous for consumption, so avoid boiled water for yerba mate. If you fully boil your water, allow it to cool for 10–15 minutes before preparing your yerba mate.

Read on the learn more…

It’s a question I receive often and there really isn’t any right answer (at least not in terms of taste, but surely in terms of health, as we know that extremely hot water is never safe to consume).

To paraphrase an ancient Tea Master, if the water quality is an 8 and the tea is a 5, the tea’s quality will be an 8. And if the water quality is a 5 and the tea a 10, then the best you can achieve is a 5.

In other words, water quality matters — definitely matters! We’ll be talking mostly about water temperature, but without high quality water, it really doesn’t matter much anyway, since you’ll always have an inferior tea with low quality water. Granted, some folks only have access to tap water, so just do the best you can.

Am I crazy for measuring water temperatures?

There’ve been times when I’ve been called pretentious and crazy for caring so much about water. I’ve heard it all. “Just use some damn tap water!” or “who cares about the water, just enjoy the mate!” “Stop overcomplicating things.”

But you know what? I’ve lived long enough not to lower myself to other people’s standard just to fit in or “play nice.” Nah, no thanks. Life is too short for all that nonsense. Besides, I was the one always thrown out of class for asking too many questions and sharing too many ideas with my teacher. I’ve always strived for the best experience, no matter the medium.

When it comes to the mate experience, it’s precisely that: an experience. It’s my experience. It’s your experience. No one else’s. So, yes, I will happily and shamelessly drink the highest quality water available to me. Take that, haters! Hahaha… I kid, I kid.. No, actually I’m quite serious.

Do I still drink tap water from time to time, sure. Do I try to drink bottled or high pH (from a machine) water most of the time, of course! It only makes sense. We only have one body, so it’s an intelligent move to treat it well.

What’s the perfect water temperature for yerba mate?

The general rule of thumb is not to exceed 180ºF (82ºC). Anything over 185ºF and the mate starts to stress and overbrew, quickly diminishing the strength of the mate and significantly decreasing the mate’s flavor staying power (known as the ‘cycle’).

What’s a yerba mate cycle?

A cycle is each time you fill the gourd with water and drink it to the last slurp (and feel free to slurp loudly, it’s actually a polite signal that you’ve finished all the mate to the utter bottom of the gourd—hey now, no backwashing!). A mate with a short cycle will last somewhere around 15 cycles; a medium cycle, around 25–30; a long cycle, 30+ times you’ll fill the gourd with flavors still present.

A mate’s cycle strength doesn’t necessarily make it better or worse, mind you. Just like the bodies of wine, traditional tea, and beer, there will be innumerable strengths, textures, and nuances that’ll all have an influence on how long the flavors linger. I actually love mates that have a graceful cycle, when the body transitions from bold to all sorts of subtle, light and wispy notes. This is the gourmet experience in action.

So let’s get down to it (get to the point, Dave! Ok geezzz..) when it comes to water temperature and mate. And take it with a grain of himalayan sea salt because there’s always room to break the rule and simply have fun with the mate experience—your experience!

These are just a few things I’ve learned from drinking yerba mate daily for, what, over 8 years now. Whoa, time’s a passin!

Match the mate’s character with water temperature

Floral and soft mate > 145–155ºF

If a mate has a soft, subtle, gentle character, usually accompanying naturally fruity flavors found in Kraus Organic, Anna Park, Mantis, and Liebig, you’ll want to stay close to the lower end of the spectrum (145–180ºF). To best appreciate delicate mates like these, 155ºF is ideal. The cooler water allows for the floral notes to express themselves fully, without any masking, gently coaxing the mate’s delicate essence to the fore.

Medium mate > 160–170ºF

Mates that have a bolder body such as Mission, Ascension, Cruz de Malta, and Playadito, I usually take the heat up a notch to around 160–170ºF (ish). Not to say that these mates wouldn’t also taste good with lower temperatures, but the higher temps are more in alignment with their medium-robustness.

The idea here is to match the mate’s nature with the best possible water temperature, creating a beautiful harmony. Can I get a namaste?

Big and super bold mate > 170–180ºF

For more aggressive mates like Rosamonte, Amanda, La Tranquera and, ironically, softer mates such Del Cebador, Canarias, and Galaxy, I like hotter temperatures. In this scenario, things become highly preferential and subjective to your own taste.

I like the hotter temps with these sort of mates because the higher temps accentuate the natural espresso-like, tobaccoy and malty flavors. In order to expose the nature of these mates, like a egg in incubation, higher temperatures are necessary for that pop! Play around 170–180ºF with bold, muscular, and malty mates.

Alrighty folks, I think that should do it for now. Sure, we could always go deeper and explore all the infinitesimally small intricacies of water temperature and mate, so I’m sure we’ll revisit this topic again. Thanks for coming along this journey with me.

Foamy, frothy bubbles atop our yerba mate gourds and mugs. Yes, every passionate yerba mate drinker has seen them. Cappuccinos and lattes may have their cream, but our mates have saponins! These intriguing and somewhat mysterious compounds are present every time the mate bubbles appear. And soon, we’ll learn that they may actually indicate how potent a particular mate is.

A few years ago we published an article that presented yerba mate as an adaptogenic herb — an herb that contains “adaptive energy”, helping the body adapt to external and internal stress, such a psychological stress, disease, bacteria, environmental, any sort of stress you could image.

Most adaptogenic herbs contain these saponin compounds, offering a growing range of health benefits1 that are constantly being uncovered:

Previously, as far as mate researchers knew, only 5 saponins had been identified in mate, known as Matesaponins 1–5 2–3. However, as of 2017, a new study revealed a total of 19 saponins, most of which are newly discovered.

Some notable findings in the study were:

Matesaponin D (also known as J3a) was the most abundant, accounting for 30–35% saponin content, followed by Matesaponon 1, Matesaponin 2, Matesaponon 4 (it was previously thought that Matesaponin 2 was most abundant).

Yerba mate berries contain about 30% saponins compared to 4% found in the leaves. Humans don’t generally consume mate berries due to their toxicity.

As yerba mate pharmacology continues to broaden and deepen, surely more pieces to mate’s growing cornucopia of health benefits will be unearthed and quantified.

Based upon what we now know, the cornerstone compounds of these health benefits are from chlorogenic acids and saponins. However, it’s clear that scientists still don’t fully understand these saponins and the precise mechanisms how they function. Only time will tell.

So the next time you see the foam, remember our saponin friends are present, doing their job to help protect the heart, lower cholesterol, and aid your immune system with a flurry of antioxidants.

Getting started with yerba mate is simple. Grab yourself a handful of mate, add the herb into a frenchpress, teapot, or traditional mate gourd, then add hot water (or make it cold), wait a few minutes, then enjoy. That’s all you need to start drinking yerba mate, especially if you’re a a beginner. Now, if you want to lean a lot more than that, and go deep deep into the beautiful and intricate world of mate, then stick around and read on…

One of my favorite books is Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Suzuki. It’s a lesson on, no matter how experienced or seasoned you’ve become in any of life’s many arenas, humbly returning back to the basics and once again starting with a fresh pair of eyes; a renewed mind; and revitalized energy to continue building upon the fundamentals.

In essence, inheriting the child’s mind once more. An overly confident mind that becomes too full of itself, literally, remains “full” and stops expanding and absorbing. Atrophied and ossified and stale….

But no! Let’s go beyond that!

Shall we…? 🙂

In this new spirit of renewal, let us fertilize the soil and replant good seeds. Together, we can move mountains. With mate, what can hold us back? Nada!

So now I gladly present to you a Getting Started with Yerba Mate Guide.

Culling together dozens of articles and videos and guides I’ve produced over the years, I’ve synthesized a unique yerba mate journey through my personal vista and experience. From my first sip of mate back in 2009 to this very day, I’ve never stopped exploring this vitalizing and enriching herb from South America. It has changed my life forever.

For seasoned Materos and those freshly embarking upon their mate journey alike, nothing can be lost and only the world gained by drawing closer to this sacred herb we know as yerba mate.

Below, you’ll find a loose table of contents, more or less chronologically corresponding to the video via timestamp markers — allowing you to jump through time and space — and banking through some twists and turns in between, exploring the different landscapes and undulations and altitudes of yerba mate, from Classical Argentine cuts to selecting your first wooden or calabash gourd.

If yerba mate is too bitter for you, add a natural sweetener such as raw honey, agave, cane sugar, or brown sugar. These sugars are lower on the glycemic index than traditional white sugar and immediately cut through the natural bitterness of yerba mate. And why not add some naturally zesty herbs, too? Read on to learn more…

Some people can’t stand yerba mate’s natural bitterness

“I want to love yerba mate but it’s too bitter, what do I do?” Someone recently asked me that and it’s true, yerba mate is naturally bitter. Personally, I love the bitterness. It’s not just “bitter,” but also sweet, complex, and infused with all sorts of subtle tastes, aromas, textures, and profiles.

But we aren’t going to leave any mate drinker behind. That’s not how we roll. So for those of you still trying to battle the bitterness of mate, it’s time to put down your sword and shield because we have some simple solutions to cut right through the bitterness, with the peaceful and beautiful power of zesty and fruity herbs.

What are the best herbs for blending with yerba mate?

When it comes to brightening up the naturally bitter mate, especially Classical Argentines mates with their explosively strong green tea, herbaceous profiles, there isn’t anything better than mint. Both spearmint and peppermint will do the trick, but if you want more of a sharp mint flavor, go with the peppermint (think candy cane); spearmint is more like trident gum (sweeter and softer).

Below, we’ve created a video discussing several more herbs such as: sage, lemon balm, licorice, orange and lemon peels. The most important thing is to have fun with it. Blending mate with zesty herbs is the best of both worlds — the power of mate with the sweetness of fruity herbs. Win-win, baby!